DTI to hold info drive on free trade deals
Sun-Star, Cebu, Philippines
DTI to hold info drive on free trade deals
By Katlene O. Cacho
27 June 2011
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be holding an information campaign on free trade agreements (FTA) among specific sectors to encourage exporters to maximize trade opportunities in these markets.
“(The) FTA is the game plan now, everybody is doing it,” DTI 7 Director Asteria Caberte said in a press briefing on Friday.
Caberte told reporters FTA is a growing economy and that Cebu exporters should take advantage of these agreements as this will help improve the local economy and make export products more competitive, particularly in non-traditional markets outside the United States.
“One way to utilize these FTAs is for exporters to equip themselves with knowledge on how to do business in these free trade areas,” she said.
The Philippines has existing FTAs with Australia, New Zealand, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Japan, Korea and China.
Caberte said that the lack of information dissemination on FTA is what hinders exporters from using FTA benefits.
A session on doing business in free trade areas for the garments, food, services, gifts and houseware sector will be held on June 29 at the Cebu Parklane International Hotel. The session is organized by the DTI in partnership with the Bureau of Customs and Tariff Commission.
Caberte said the business information session aims to increase utilization of preferential tariff agreements and to maximize Philippine export potential.
Among the things to be discussed are the market opportunities for the specific sectors, global demand, country’s exports in FTA markets, shares of the country’s exports to world imports, consumer trends, lifestyle and social changes and special product focus in FTA markets for food.
